Promoter having specific activity to pistil tissue and use of the same

ABSTRACT

A novel promoter is provided which has an expression activity specific to any pistil tissue. The promoter has any one of the DNA sequence from position 1 to 2595 of SEQ ID NO. 1, the DNA sequence from position 1 to 2322 of SEQ ID NO. 2, and the DNA sequence from position 1 to 2012 of SEQ ID NO. 3, and a part thereof. A method for producing a plant having a modified trait by introducing a heterogenous gene operatively linked to the promoter into a plant, and a plant having a modified trait produced by the method are further provided.

This application claims priority to application no. PCT/JP99/02692 filed 21 May 1999, now publication no. WO 00/71704 published 30 Nov. 2000 which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to promoters having an expression activity specific to pistil tissue, and the use of the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a promoter (ZPT2-10 promoter) for the PEThyZPT2-10 gene, a promoter (ZPT3-3 promoter) for the PEThyZPT3-3 gene, and a promoter (ZPT2-11 promoter) for the PEThyZPT2-11 gene, which are novel promoters derived from Petunia, and the use of the same.

BACKGROUND ART

The mechanism for controlling the traits of plants (e.g., morphogenesis of flowers) has been studied in methodologies of molecular biology and molecular genetics using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), Antirrhinum (Antirrhinum majus), and Petunia (Petunia hybrida). Particularly, Petunia is often chosen as a research material. The reason is that Petunia has great value as a garden plant, there are a number of varieties, it is easy to transform, the flower is large and viewable, and there is a large amount of accumulated genetic knowledge, for example (Hiroshi Takatsuji, “Molecular Mechanism Determining Shapes of Plants”, Saibo-kogaku, Syokubutsu-saibo-kogaku Series (Syujyunsya), pp. 96–106 (1994)).

It is considerably important to identify promoters having a tissue-specific expression activity. For example, if a heterogenous gene is desired to be tissue-specifically expressed, an expression cassette is constructed in which the heterogenous gene of interest is linked downstream of a promoter having an expression activity specific to a target tissue (i.e., the heterogenous gene of interest is arranged so as to be expressed under the control of the promoter). The expression cassette is introduced into a plant, allowing specific expression of the heterogenous gene of interest in the target tissue. Specific expression of a heterogenous gene in a plant tissue of interest can confer a modified trait to the plant and therefore has great value in research and horticulture.

For example, when a tissue-specific promoter activity can be found in a pistil tissue, a heterogenous gene can be expressed specifically in the pistil tissue by operatively linking the gene to the promoter and introducing it into a plant. It is believed that, for example, the traits of female sterility and self-incompatibility can be conferred to a plant by utilizing such pistil tissue-specific expression.

It is known that pollination induces synthesis of ethylene which accelerates wilting and shortens the life of flowers. It is also known that generally, pollination cannot induce ethylene synthesis in female-sterile plants and therefore the life of such flowers is long. It is considered that conferring female sterility to flowering plants of garden varieties may lead to an improved lifetime of the flowering plants. Therefore, technology for conferring female sterility to a plant has a great importance to the horticulture industry.

Conventionally, in order to confer the trait of female sterility to a plant, mutation techniques, such as a heavy ion beam irradiation method, have been tried. The following biotechnological methods have also been reported: (1) expression of diphtheria toxin using a promoter specific to the stigma tissue of Brassica (Kandasamy, M. K. et al., Plant Cell, 5,263–275 (1993)); and (2) expression of barnase (an enzyme having an activity of causing cell death) using a promoter specific to the stigma tissue of tobacco (Goldman, M. H. et al., EMBO J., 13, 2976–2984 (1994)).

Self-incompatibility is an important trait in terms of the efficiency of crossbreeding. A technique for conferring self-incompatibility to tobacco (Nicotiana) has been developed in which a gene having an ability to remove pollen (S-RNase gene) is expressed specifically in the pistil transmitting tissue using a promoter for Chi2;1 derived from tomato (Harikrishna, K. et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 30, 899–911 (1996)).

As described above, the identification of promoters having an expression activity specific to pistil tissue is important not only for scientific research but also for practical applications. If such a promoter can be isolated, it can be very useful for modification of traits of useful plants, such as garden varieties.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The inventor isolated three pieces of DNA from the respective upstream regions of three genes encoding zinc finger-type transcription factors (ZPT2-10, ZPT2-11, and ZPT3-3) (the three pieces of DNA have the DNA sequence from position 1 to 2595 of SEQ ID NO. 1, the DNA sequence from position 1 to 2322 of SEQ ID NO. 2, and the DNA sequence from position 1 to 2012 of SEQ ID NO. 3, respectively), and tested the gene expression control function for these DNA pieces. As a result, the inventor found that these three upstream region DNA pieces have distinct promoter activities specific to pistil tissues, such as a transmitting tissue, a stigma, and a vascular bundle. The present invention was completed based on these findings.

The present invention relates to a promoter comprising:

-   -   (a) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2595 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 1; or     -   (b) DNA having a part of the sequence of (a) and having a         promoter activity specific to at least one of a transmitting         tissue and a placenta surface layer.

The present invention also relates to a promoter comprising:

-   -   (c) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2322 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 2; or     -   (d) DNA having a part of the sequence of (c) and having a         promoter activity specific to at least one of a transmitting         tissue, a placenta surface layer, a stigmatic secretory zone,         and a receptacle.

The present invention further relates to a promoter comprising:

-   -   (e) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2012 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 3; or     -   (f) DNA having a part of the sequence of (e) and having a         promoter activity specific to at least one of a pistil vascular         bundle and a pistil receptacle.

The present invention further relates to an expression cassette comprising any one of the above-described promoters and a heterogenous gene operatively linked to the promoter.

The present invention further relates to a method for producing a plant having a modified trait, comprising the steps of introducing the above-described expression cassette into a plant cell; and regenerating the plant cell, into which the expression cassette has been introduced, into a plant body.

The present invention further relates to the use of the expression cassette for modifying a trait of a plant. The expression cassette is introduced to a plant cell. The heterogenous gene operatively linked to the promoter is then expressed.

In one embodiment of this invention, the above-described trait is fertility, and the plant having the modified trait is a female-sterile plant.

In one embodiment of this invention, the above-described trait is compatibility, and the plant having the modified trait is a self-incompatible plant.

In one embodiment of this invention, the above-described plant is a dicotyledon. Preferably, the dicotyledon is a plant of family Solanaceae, and more preferably, a plant of the genus Petunia.

In one embodiment of this invention, the above-described heterogenous gene is incorporated into a plant expression vector.

The present invention further relates to a plant having a modified trait which is produced by any one of the above-described methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the base sequences of a promoter region, a coding region, and a 3′-untranslated region of a PEThyZPT2-10 (hereinafter referred to as ZPT2-10) genomic gene, and the predicted amino acid sequence of the coding region.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the base sequences of a promoter region, a coding region, and a 3′-untranslated region of a PEThyZPT3-3 (hereinafter referred to as ZPT3-3) genomic gene, and the predicted amino acid sequence of the coding region.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the base sequences of a promoter region, a coding region, and a 3′-untranslated region of a PEThyZPT2-11 (hereinafter referred to as ZPT2-11) genomic gene, and the predicted amino acid sequence of the coding region.

FIGS. 4( a) through (c) are schematic diagrams showing (a) the structure of a plant expression vector (pBIN-ZPT2-10-GUS) for analyzing a ZPT2-10 promoter, (b) the structure of a plant expression vector (pBIN-ZPT3-3-GUS) for analyzing a ZPT3-3 promoter, and (c) the structure of a plant expression vector (pBIN-ZPT2-11-GUS) for analyzing a ZPT2-11 promoter, respectively. GUS represents a β-glucuronidase gene, Pnos represents a nopaline synthase promoter, Tnos represents a nopaline synthase terminator, and NPTII represents a neomycin phosphotransferase gene, respectively.

FIGS. 5( a) through (c) are photographs showing morphology of (a) the stigma and style, (b) the ovary, and (c) the style (cross-section) of a GUS-stained pistil of a Petunia into which pBIN-ZPT2-10-GUS was introduced.

FIGS. 6( a) through (c) are photographs showing morphology of (a) the stigma and style, (b) the ovary, and (c) the style (cross-section) of a GUS-stained pistil of a Petunia into which pBIN-ZPT3-3-GUS was introduced.

FIGS. 7( a) through (c) are photographs showing morphology of (a) the stigma and style, (b) the ovary, and (c) the style (cross-section; (d) its enlarged view) of a GUS-stained pistil of a Petunia into which pBIN-ZPT2-11-GUS was introduced.

FIG. 8( a) through (c) are diagrams showing expression sites of (a) the ZPT2-10 promoter, (b) the ZPT3-3 promoter, and (c) the ZPT2-11 promoter.

In the figures, reference numerals indicate, respectively, pollen (80), pollen tube (80′), stigma (81), secretory zone (82), transmitting tissue (83), style (84), ovary (85), ovule (86), placenta (87), receptacle (88), and vascular bundle tissue (89). The expression site of each promoter is hatched with thick slanting lines.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described in more detail below.

A promoter having an expression activity specific to pistil tissue according to the present invention may include any of the following DNA:

-   -   (a) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2595 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 1;     -   (b) DNA having a part of the sequence of (a) and, when expressed         in a plant, having a promoter activity specific to at least one         of a transmitting tissue and a placenta surface layer;     -   (c) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2322 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 2;     -   (d) DNA having a part of the sequence of (c) and, when expressed         in a plant, having a promoter activity specific to at least one         of a transmitting tissue, a placenta surface layer, astigmatic         secretory zone, and a receptacle.

(e) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2012 of a base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 3; or

-   -   (f) DNA having a part of the sequence of (e) and, when expressed         in a plant, having a promoter activity specific to at least one         of a pistil vascular bundle and a pistil receptacle.

Preferably, a promoter according to the present invention may include any of the following DNA:

-   -   (a) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2595 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 1;     -   (b)′ DNA having a part of the sequence of (a) and, when         expressed in a plant, having a promoter activity specific to a         transmitting tissue and a placenta surface layer;     -   (c) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2322 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 2;     -   (d)′ DNA having a part of the sequence of (c) and, when         expressed in a plant, having a promoter activity specific to a         transmitting tissue, a placenta surface layer, a stigmatic         secretory zone, and a receptacle;     -   (e) DNA having a sequence from position 1 to 2012 of a base         sequence represented by SEQ ID NO. 3; or     -   (f)′ DNA having a part of the sequence of (e) and, when         expressed in a plant, having a promoter activity specific to a         pistil vascular bundle and a pistil receptacle.

Particularly preferable promoters of the present invention are promoters for the ZPT2-10, ZPT2-11, and ZPT3-3 genes encoding a zinc finger-type transcription factor of Petunia. These promoters are DNA having the sequence from position 1 to 2595 of SEQ ID NO. 1, the sequence from position 1 to 2322 of SEQ ID NO. 2, and the sequence from position 1 to 2012 of SEQ ID NO. 3, respectively.

A sequence, which has promoter activity specific to at least one pistil tissue, and is in a promoter region for the ZPT2-10, ZPT2-11, or ZPT3-3 gene, and which is obtained by removing a sequence non-essential for tissue-specific expression activity, is within the scope of the present invention. Such a sequence may be obtained by deletion of part of a promoter according to a commonly used method. Briefly, plasmids fusing various deletion mutants of the promoter regions for the ZPT2-10, ZPT2-11, and ZPT3-3 genes (e.g., mutants obtained by deleting the promoter regions for the ZPT2-10, ZPT2-11, and ZPT3-3 genes from the respective 5′-upstream portions in various lengths) with an appropriate reporter gene (e.g., the GUS gene) are used to measure the tissue-specific promoter activities of the deletion mutants, whereby a region(s) essential for the activities can be identified.

Once a region essential for a promoter activity is identified, the expression activity of the promoter may be enhanced or the expression specificity to a tissue may be modified by further modifying the sequence of the region or adjacent regions. Any resultant variant is within the scope of the present invention as long as it has promoter activity specific to at least one pistil tissue.

The term “tissue-specific promoter activity” as used herein refers to the ability of a promoter to be expressed specifically in any certain tissue in a naturally-occurring plant or in a plant into which an expression cassette including the promoter has been introduced. Here, the term “specifically” refers to that the expression activity of the promoter is higher in the certain tissue than in at least one of the other tissues in the same plant body. The level of the expression activity of a promoter may be assessed by comparing the expression level of a promoter in a predetermined tissue with that in other tissues using a commonly used method. The expression level of a promoter is typically determined by the amount of production of gene products expressed under the control of the promoter. The term “tissue-specific expression activity” of a promoter and the term “tissue-specific promoter activity” as used herein have the same meaning.

A promoter having an expression activity specific to at least one pistil tissue is within the scope of the present invention.

Examples of pistil tissues include a transmitting tissue, a placenta surface layer, astigmatic secretory zone, a receptacle, and a pistil vascular bundle, and the like (see FIG. 8). A transmitting tissue and a placenta surface layer are elongation paths through which a pollen elongates a pollen tube after pollination to reach the ovule. A stigmatic secretory zone is a region to which pollen is attached. A receptacle is a distal end of the peduncle which bears a flower and a leaf. A pistil vascular bundle system is speculated to play an important role, for example, in supplying substances required for the function of the pistil in the stigmatic secretory zone (e.g., a secretion product required for attachment of pollen, a filling compound for accelerating extension of a pollen tube in the elongation path of the pollen tube, and nutrients for the style and stigma).

The term “modification” as used herein with respect to a trait of a plant refers to that a trait which a plant has not had before transformation (a wild type or a garden variety) is conferred to the plant after transformation, or that the level of a plant trait which a plant has had before transformation (a wild type or a garden variety) is increased or decreased. Such trait modification may be obtained as follows: a heterogenous gene operatively linked to a promoter according to the present invention is introduced into a plant; and in such a transformed plant, the heterogenous gene is tissue-specifically expressed under the control of the promoter of the present invention. The level of the trait modification may be assessed by comparing a trait of a plant (a wild type or a garden variety) after transformation with that before the transformation.

Examples of a preferable trait to be modified include, but are not limited to, female sterility, self-incompatibility, and insect-pest resistance.

The promoter of the present invention may be obtained by screening a plant genomic library using known cDNA as a probe and isolating a corresponding genomic clone, for example. Examples of such cDNA include cDNA of Petunia-derived zinc finger-type transcription factors ZPT2-10, ZPT2-11, and ZPT3-3.

Methods for preparing a genomic library, stringent conditions for hybridization with a probe, and methods for gene cloning, are known to those skilled in the art. For example, see Maniatis et al., “Molecular Cloning”, A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989).

The base sequence of the resultant gene may be determined by a method for analyzing a nucleotide sequence, which is known in the art, or using a commercially available automatic sequencer.

The promoter of the present invention is not limited to an isolated naturally-occurring promoter and may include a synthesized polynucleotide. A synthesized polynucleotide may be obtained by synthesizing or modifying the sequence or activity region of a promoter which has been sequenced as described above using a method well known to those skilled in the art.

The promoter of the present invention may be operatively linked to a desired heterogenous gene to produce an expression cassette using a method well known to those skilled in the art. The expression cassette may be introduced into a plant cell using a known recombinant technique. The introduced expression cassette is incorporated into the DNA of the plant cell. The DNA of the plant cell includes not only a chromosome, but also DNA contained in various organelles in a plant cell (e.g., mitochondria and chloroplasts).

The term “plant” as used herein includes either monocotyledons or dicotyledons. Preferable plants are dicotyledons. Dicotyledons include Archichlamiidae and Sympetalidae. A preferable subclass is Sympetalidae. The subclass Sympetalidae includes Gentianales, Solanales, Lamiales, Callitrichales, Plantaginales, Campanulales, Scrophulariales, Rubiales, Dipsacales, and Asterales. A preferable order is Solanales. The order Solanales includes Solanaceae, Hydrophyllaceae, Polemoniaceae, Cuscutaceae, and Convolvulaceae. A preferable family is Solanaceae. The family Solanaceae includes Petunia, Datura, Nicotiana, Solanum, Lycopersicon, Capsicum, Physalis, and Lycium. A preferable genus is Petunia, Datura, and Nicotiana, and more preferably, Petunia. The genus Petunia includes P. hybrida, P. axillaris, P. inflata, P. violacea, and the like. A preferable species is P. hybrida. The term “plant” refers to a plant body including a flower and a seed obtained from the plant body, unless otherwise specified.

Examples of the “plant cell” include cells of tissues in plant organs, such as a flower, a leaf, and a root; callus; and suspension culture cells.

The term “expression cassette” as used herein refers to a nucleic acid sequence including the promoter of the present invention and a heterogenous gene operatively linked to the promoter (i.e., in frame).

The term “heterogenous gene” as used herein refers to any of the following genes: an endogenous gene in Petunia other than the ZPT2-10 gene, ZPT2-11 gene, and ZPT3-3 gene; an endogenous gene of another plant; or a foreign gene derived an organism other than a plant (e.g., a gene derived from an animal, an insect, a bacterium, and fungus). The expression of the gene product is desired in any of pistil tissues.

The term “plant expression vector” refers to a nucleic acid sequence including various regulatory elements, which are linked thereto in such a manner as to be operative in a cell of a host plant, in addition to a promoter in an expression cassette. Preferably, examples of the regulatory elements include a terminator, a drug-resistance gene, and an enhancer. It is well known to those skilled in the art that the types of plant expression vectors and kinds of regulatory elements used may vary depending on host cells. The plant expression vector used in the present invention may further include a T-DNA region. The T-DNA region plays a role in increasing the efficiency of gene introduction, particularly when Agrobacterium is used to transform a plant.

The term “terminator” refers to a sequence which is positioned downstream of the region of a gene encoding a protein and involves termination of transcription of DNA to mRNA and addition of poly-A sequence. It is known that a terminator contributes to the stability of mRNA and has an influence on the expression amount of a gene. Examples of a terminator include, but are not limited to, the CaMV35S terminator and the terminator (Tnos) for the nopaline synthase gene.

A preferable “drug-resistance gene” facilitates screening of transformed plants. Preferably, examples of a drug-resistance gene include, but are not limited to, the neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) gene for conferring kanamycin-resistance and the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene for conferring hygromycin-resistance.

An “enhancer” can be used to increase the expression efficiency of a gene of interest. An example of a preferable enhancer includes an enhancer region including an upstream sequence of the CaMV35S promoter. A plurality of enhancers can be used for a single plant expression vector.

The plant expression vector of the present invention may be produced by a gene recombinant technique well known to those skilled in the art. To construct a plant expression vector, for example, pBI type vectors or pUC type vectors may be preferably used, but the present invention is not limited to these vectors.

Methods well-known to those skilled in the art for introducing a plant expression vector into a plant cell includes, for example, a method mediated by Agrobacterium or a method of directly introducing the vector into the cell. An example of a method mediated by Agrobacterium includes a method developed by Nagel et al. (FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 67, 325 (1990)). In this method, Agrobacterium is first transformed using a plant expression vector (e.g., by electroporation), and the transformed Agrobacterium is then introduced into a plant cell using a well-known method, such as a leaf disk method. Examples of a method for directly introducing a plant expression vector into a cell include an electroporation method, a particle gun method, a calcium phosphate method, and a polyethylene glycol method. These methods are well known in the art. A method suitable for the plant to be transformed can be selected from these methods by those skilled in the art.

Cells into which a plant expression vector has been introduced are selected with reference to drug-resistance, such as kanamycin-resistance. A selected cell may be reproduced into a plant body using a commonly used method.

In a regenerated plant body, expression of a heterogenous gene of interest may be confirmed using a method well known to those skilled in the art. This may be conducted, for example, by northern blotting analysis. Specifically, all RNAs are extracted from a tissue in which the promoter of the present invention is specifically expressed, are subjected to denaturated-agarose electrophoresis, and are blotted onto an appropriate membrane. The blotted membrane is subjected to hybridization using a labeled RNA probe which is complementary to a part of the heterogenous gene of interest. Thus, an mRNA of the heterogenous gene of interest can be detected. When the heterogenous gene is endogenous to the transformed plant, the amount of mRNA of the heterogenous gene of interest in a tissue, in which the promoter of the present invention is expressed specifically, can be compared with the amount of mRNA of the heterogenous gene of interest in the same tissue of an untransformed control plant, thereby assessing a change in the amount of expression of the heterogenous gene of interest.

The tissue-specific expression activity of the promoter of the present invention may be confirmed using the above-described method. For example, the GUS activity distribution of a plant transformed using an expression vector, to which the promoter of the present invention and the GUS gene are operatively linked, can be tested using a commonly used a histochemical staining method, thereby identifying the tissue-specific expression activity of the promoter.

A plant according to the present invention is a plant which is transformed using a heterogenous gene of interest operatively linked to the promoter of the present invention by the above-described method. In the plant, the heterogenous gene of interest is tissue-specifically expressed under the control of the promoter of the present invention, resulting in modification of a trait of the plant. Examples of a trait to be modified include, but are not limited to, fertility, compatibility, and insect-pest resistance.

According to the present invention, a practical promoter derived from a Petunia gene, which has an expression activity specific to pistil tissues, is provided. The promoter of the present invention may be used to modify a trait of a plant. For example, under the control of this promoter, a gene product which can injure any of pistil tissues (e.g., the transmitting tissue, the placenta surface layer, the stigmatic secretory zone, the receptacle, and the pistil vascular bundle) is expressed specifically in the tissue (e.g., an enzyme having an activity which causes cell death), whereby the tissues may be destroyed and the reproductive function of the pistil may be inhibited. As a result, the plant may be given a trait of female sterility. Alternatively, a gene having a function of removing pollen of a specific gene type (e.g., the S-RNase gene) may be expressed in an appropriate tissue, particularly the transmitting tissue. As a result, a plant may be given a trait of self-incompatibility. Alternatively, a protein having an anti-insect-pest activity may be expressed in the stigma, thereby making it possible to produce an insect-pest resistance plant which can kill or repel an insect pest contacting the stigma.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of examples. The scope of the present invention is not limited only to these examples. Restriction enzymes, plasmids, and the like used in the examples are available from commercial sources.

Example 1 Isolation of the ZPT2-10 Promoter Region and Ligation to the GUS Reporter Gene

cDNA of ZPT2-10 (Kubo, K. et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 26, 608–616 (1998)) was labeled with [α-³²P]dCTP using a typical random primer method (Sambrook et al., supra) to produce a radioisotope-labeled probe. A genomic library for Petunia (Petunia hybrida var. Mitchell) produced in the EMBL3 vector (manufactured by Stratagene) was screened using the labeled probe. From the resultant clones, a genomic DNA fragment of about 3.0 kb including a upstream region of the gene was subcloned into an EcoRV-XbaI site in pBluescriptSK vector and was subcloned (pBS-ZPT2-10EX), followed by sequencing of the base sequence of the genomic DNA fragment (SEQ ID NO. 1) (see FIG. 1). Thereafter, such a plasmid was used as a template to conduct PCR where a primer including a BamHI recognition sequence (CCGGGGATCCATCATCTTGTAGAAGATCCAT; SEQ ID NO. 4) and a commercially available M13-20 primer were used. Therefore, the BamHI site was introduced immediately downstream of the translation initiation point of the ZPT2-10 protein (position 2595 of the base sequence shown in FIG. 1). DNA fragments produced by the PCR were cleaved at EcoRV and BamHI sites, and the resultant restriction fragments were cloned in the pBluescript vector, followed by sequencing of the fragments. Thereafter, the cloned vectors were cleaved with SalI and BamHI. The resultant DNA fragments were inserted upstream of the GUS coding region of commercially available pUCAPGUSNT (pUCAP-ZPT2-10-GUS-NT). Therefore, the GUS region was linked in frame to a region in the vicinity of the N-terminus of the coding region of the ZPT2-10 gene. Further, DNA fragments (including the promoter, GUS, NOS, and terminator of ZPT2-10) obtained by cleaving pUCAP-ZPT2-10-GUS-NT with AscI and EcoRI were inserted into pBINPLUS vector to obtain pBIN-ZPT2-10-GUS (FIG. 4 a).

Example 2 Isolation of the ZPT3-3 Promoter Region and Ligation to the GUS Reporter Gene

Similar to Example 1, the genomic DNA of ZPT3-3 was isolated. A DNA fragment (KpnI-EcoRI) of about 2.5 kb including an upstream region of the ZPT3-3 gene was subcloned into the pBluescriptSK vector (pBS-ZPT3-3-KE). Thereafter, the base sequence of the DNA fragment was determined (SEQ ID NO. 2) (see FIG. 2). The plasmid was used as a template to conduct PCR where a primer including a BamHI recognition sequence (CCGGGGATCCACATGACTTGTGTTTCTCCAT: SEQ ID NO. 5) and a commercially available M13-20 primer were used, whereby a BamHI site was introduced immediately downstream of the translation initiation point of the ZPT3-3 protein (position 2322 of the base sequence shown in FIG. 1). Ligation of the thus-obtained DNA fragments was conducted so that ZPT3-3 and GUS were in frame. In a similar manner to Example 1, pBIN-ZPT3-3-GUS was produced (FIG. 4 b).

Example 3 Isolation of the ZPT2-11 Promoter Region and Ligation to the GUS Reporter Gene

Similar to Example 1, the genomic DNA of ZPT2-11 was isolated. A DNA fragment (EcoRV-EcoRI) of about 2.1 kb including an upstream region of the ZPT2-11 gene was subcloned into the pBluescriptSK vector (pBS-ZPT2-11-EE). Thereafter, the base sequence of the DNA fragment was determined (SEQ ID NO. 3) (see FIG. 3). The plasmid was used as a template to conduct PCR where a primer including a BamHI recognition sequence (CCGGGGATCCTTCTTGCATTTGAACTTCCAT; SEQ ID NO. 6) and a commercially available M13-20 primer were used, whereby a BamHI site was introduced immediately downstream of the translation initiation point of the ZPT2-11 protein (2012-position of the base sequence shown in FIG. 1). Ligation of the thus-obtained DNA fragments was conducted so that ZPT2-11 and GUS were in frame. In a similar manner to Example 1, pBIN-ZPT2-11-GUS was produced (FIG. 4 c).

Example 4 Introduction of a Fused Gene of the ZPT2-10, ZPT3-3, or ZPT2-11 Promoter and GUS into Petunia

(1) Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 strain (CLONTECH Laboratories Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.) was cultivated in L medium containing 250 μg/ml of streptomycin and 50 μg/ml of rifampicin at 28° C. In accordance with Nagel et al.'s method (supra), a cell suspension was prepared. Electroporation was conducted in the cell suspension to introduce each of the plasmid vectors constructed in Examples 1, 2, and 3 into the strain, respectively.

(2) A polynucleotide encoding a fused gene of the ZPT2-10, ZPT3-3, or ZPT2-11 promoter and GUS was introduced into a Petunia cell using the following method. The transformed Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 strain obtained in procedure (1) was cultivated with shaking in YEB medium (DNA Cloning, Vol. 2, p. 78, D. M. Glover Ed., IRL Press, 1985) (28° C., 200 rpm). Thereafter, the resultant culture medium was diluted by a factor of 20 with sterilized water. The diluted medium was co-cultured with a piece of a leaf of Petunia (Petunia hybrida var. Mitchell). After 2 to 3 days, the leaf piece was cultured in a medium containing an antibiotic, thereby removing the above-described bacterium. The leaf piece was subcultured in a selective medium on a two week basis. A transformed Petunia cell was selected with reference to the presence or absence of kanamycin resistance due to the expression of the NPTII gene derived from pBINPLUS which was introduced along with the above-described three fused gene. The selected cell was introduced into a callus using a commonly used method, followed by redifferentiation into a plant body.

Example 5 Tissue Specificity of the Activity of the ZPT2-10 Promoter

A fused gene of the upstream region of the ZPT2-10 gene and GUS was introduced into a plant. The flower of the resultant transformant was assessed as to the distribution of GUS activity using X-GUS as a substrate (Gallagher, S. R. (Ed.) GUS protocols: using the GUS gene as a reporter of gene expression, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego (1992)). As a result, GUS activity was detected specifically in a cell layer of the transmitting tissue of the style and the uppermost layer of the placenta (i.e., the placenta surface layer) of the pistil (FIGS. 5 and 8( a)).

Example 6 Tissue Specificity of the Activity of the ZPT3-3 Promoter

A fused gene of the upstream region of the ZPT3-3 gene and GUS was introduced into a plant. The flower of the resultant transformant was used to assess the distribution of the GUS activity as in Example 5. As a result, the GUS activity was detected specifically in the stigmatic secretory tissue, the transmitting tissue of the style, the placenta surface layer, and the receptacle of the pistil (FIGS. 6 and 8( b)).

Example 7 Tissue Specificity of the Activity of the ZPT2-11 Promoter

A fused gene of the upstream region of the ZPT2-11 gene and GUS was introduced into a plant. The flower of the resultant transformant was used to assess on the distribution of the GUS activity as in Example 5. As a result, the GUS activity was detected specifically in the vascular bundle tissue ranging from the stigma to the style and the placenta of the pistil, and the receptacle (FIGS. 7 and 8( c)).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The Petunia-derived ZPT2-10, ZPT2-11, and ZPT3-3 promoters of the present invention exhibit a promoter activity specific to pistil tissue. These promoters are useful for modification of a trait of a plant by genetically engineering pistil tissues. 

1. An isolated promoter comprising: DNA having the sequence from position 1 to 2012 of SEQ ID NO.
 3. 2. A plant expression cassette comprising the promoter of claim 1 and a heterogenous gene operatively linked to the promoter.
 3. A method for producing a plant having a modified trait, comprising the steps of: introducing the expression cassette of claim 2 into a plant cell; and regenerating the plant cells, into which the expression cassette has been introduced, into a plant body.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the trait is fertility, and the plant having the modified trait is a female-sterile plant.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the trait is compatibility, and the plant having the modified trait is a self-incompatible plant.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the plant is a dicotyledon.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plant is a plant of the family Solanaceae.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plant is a plant of the genus Petunia.
 9. The method of claim 3, wherein the expression cassette is incorporated into a plant expression vector.
 10. A plant having a modified trait which is produced by the method of any one of claims 3 to
 9. 